Clegg may ditch Lords reform plans

Nick Clegg: knows there is a limit to the public's toleranceStefan Rousseau/PA

Nick Clegg will not continue to push his plans to overhaul the Lords if Tory rebels persist in opposing them later this year, it has emerged.

It is understood that the Deputy Prime Minister will not allow his quest to replace the Lords with a mainly elected second chamber to waste weeks of parliamentary time if there is no hope of success.

Senior Liberal Democrat sources said that Mr Clegg knew that the public would not understand if he repeatedly attempted to railroad his reforms through the Commons.

David Cameron and Mr Clegg ducked a crucial vote over Lords reform on Tuesday. It became clear that Tory rebels would gang up to defeat the so-called timetable motion, designed to accelerate the passage of the Lords…